Shedeur Sanders’ first NFL start turned into the breakout moment the Cleveland Browns desperately needed. One week after a shaky debut and with regular starter Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol, the fifth-round rookie stepped in against the Las Vegas Raiders and delivered a poised, confident performance in a 24-10 win.
The former Colorado Buffaloes star Sanders wasted no time settling in, and early in the first half, he found his rhythm with several sharp throws before launching a 53-yard strike that set Cleveland up at the 1-yard line.
By the end of the night, he had logged 209 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 11 of his 20 passing attempts — steady numbers that helped snap the Browns’ three-game losing skid.
After the win, Sanders made it clear that he wasn’t interested in excuses or sympathy. Reflecting on how quickly he had been thrown into action.
“There is no excuse, you gotta go out there and perform,” said Sanders during the postgame press conference. “There's no choice, no question, nobody cares, Nobody cares if this was one week of prep. Who cares?”
The rookie made it clear he heard the doubt around him, declaring, “A lot of people wanted to see me fail. It ain't gonna happen.” Sander said, a full-on mic drop aimed at his critics (h/t ESPN).
Sanders also emphasized that he felt unusually calm heading into the matchup, crediting the work he put in throughout the week.
“This is the first time I never had stress, I did the work. I did everything I was supposed to do,” he said.
Speaking to the sideline reporter after the victory, Sanders doubled down on the confidence he hopes to build on moving forward.
“Wining is crazy. It's amazing, you know. Off of one week of practice, Just one week of practice. So imagine what a full offseason would look like. It gets dangerous,” Sanders said with full confidence during a postgame interview (via SportsCenter).
Sanders’ words paint the picture of a quarterback who has been waiting for his moment, and now that it’s here, he’s determined to reset the narrative. With renewed confidence and a chance to recalibrate, he’s making it clear he plans to seize every opportunity ahead.
This promising outing also capped an emotional stretch for Sanders, who slid to the fifth round after a stellar college career and even dealt with a break-in at his home earlier in the week. Though still early in his NFL journey, Sanders is showing the essence of what he could become.
